


You Can Escape the Heat, but the Cold Will Kill You

by MustelaVision



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Gen, Other, rupphire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-27
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2018-07-18 12:43:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7315663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MustelaVision/pseuds/MustelaVision
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Garnet finds herself separated from the rest of the Crystal Gems and surrounded and outnumbered by a group of Homeworld soldiers. With nowhere to escape, the only option seems to be to fight or else risk her own destruction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Can Escape the Heat, but the Cold Will Kill You

**Author's Note:**

> The title for this short fic was inspired by a conversation I overheard between a couple of classmates I was doing field work with. They were talking about how they preferred the cold to the heat but that survival wise someone had told them it's preferable to be caught in the heat than be caught in the cold because, in their exact words, "you can escape the heat but the cold will kill you," which, to me, sounded like it would make for a good title for a short story highlighting Ruby and Sapphire's battle styles and how they battle together when not fused. 
> 
> It's been awhile since I've written a story, so I'm probably a bit rusty but I hope it's enjoyable regardless.

Garnet was surrounded. A gang of enemy Quartz soldiers had separated her from the rest of her comrades and were closing in on her, towering intimidatingly over her accompanied with menacing snarls. But Garnet stood her ground teeth bared and gauntlets at the ready; she would absolutely not let these brutes know of her fear. Ever since her devastating loss 150 years ago at the hands of Homeworld forces that resulted in her coming undone in her battle debut fighting for the sake of the living beings of the planet Earth as a Crystal Gem, her component Gems, Ruby and Sapphire, vowed to each other to become stronger together so that they may protect one another individually and as Garnet.The training that they underwent brought Ruby and Sapphire closer than they had ever been, their love for each other being a consistent source of strength for them both. Garnet was a Fusion, the physical manifestation of their relationship and when Ruby and Sapphire decided to fuse again, Garnet’s appearance and overall confidence changed drastically from her first form, a reflection of a more secure union between the two lovers. But now this newfound strength was being put to the test. Backed into a corner in the depths of the woods with no sign of help to be found, the situation looked bleak. 

Garnet, like Sapphire, could see into the future but unlike Sapphire, Garnet could see multiple paths of fate while Sapphire centered on a single path of fate. This was an ability she became more conscious of when she became herself again after Ruby and Sapphire’s forceful separation and so was still figuring out exactly what to make of these multiple possible futures. However, in this moment of vulnerability, encircled by the enemy with nowhere to run and no one to help her, all the futures she saw ended in either capture or destruction. Garnet clenched her fists tighter, fighting the tears that welled up in her eyes. 

“Focus!,” the voice of Sapphire rang from within her. 

“There has to be some way to escape!” Ruby cried out from within her as well. 

“Yes, we just need to think,” 

The conversation within her spurred another vision;one she had not previously seen or perhaps one she had been avoiding. Garnet gazed resignedly at the gems on her palms, first to the right which was Sapphire’s and then to the left which was Ruby’s. Both had become her own and _still would be_ , she reminded herself. In that moment, she came undone this time by her own volition, albeit reluctantly. In her stead, two gems half her size emerged a blue gem in a dress complete with a pinafore that hardly befit battle and a red gem in simple battle attire that befit a foot soldier. These were both Sapphire and Ruby respectively. 

 

The gang of Quartzes froze in surprise at this turn of events giving Ruby and Sapphire a chance to exchange a quick glance before Sapphire jetted above the enemy and bolted off using her dress for propulsion, leaving Ruby behind. The Quartz gang turned upon Ruby toothy grimaces creeping upon their countenances thinking about how easy defeating her would be. One Quartz, a Citrine, taunted her. “What’s wrong shortstack? You mad cause your partner up and left you to fend for yourself like the coward she is?”

The rest guffawed at the Citrine’s remarks and joined in with taunts of their own ganging up on Ruby as they did thinking of it as little more than a game: 

“Naw, this one was probably just too dumb to take the cue and run off with the Sapphire” 

“Yeah, you know how Rubies are. Just stupid expendable runts. No one will miss this one” 

Ruby winced. Their words cut her deep. She had heard similar insults before. This is how Homeworld thinks of Rubies and Ruby had internalized this attitude for so long that before she didn’t even think of herself as an individual for the longest time. Just one dumb Ruby of millions of other dumb Rubies sent out to battle to be killed and just as easily replaced. Though their words initially brought Ruby back to that frame of mind one phrase struck her to her core more than a million scathing remarks could ever hope to do. _No one will miss this one._ _No!_ she thought. Someone would miss her and that someone was counting on her. She couldn’t let these clods mow her down. 

Ruby took a deep breath and centered herself. Instead of bringing her down like they had before, the continuous barrage of affronts to her very being only served to remind her of what and who she was fighting for. As a result, the flame within her ignited and she stood where she was in a battle stance, feet solidly planted on the ground filled with the resolve to see this through. The ground beneath her started to smolder and the surrounding temperature of the area began to rise. 

“Take a step closer and you’re toast,” Ruby snarled.

The other Gems snickered, paying no mind to Ruby’s threat and continued closing in on her. 

“Alright little red we had our fun but it’s time we took care of business,” one of the Quartzes sneered as she and her comrades raised their weapons.

It was then that Ruby let out a deafening roar that caused the birds and other animals in the forest to flee their nests and burrows.Small embers began to spew from her mouth in all directions. Combined with the already burning earth from her just standing there Ruby and the Quartzes were surrounded by fire. With smoke providing cover, Ruby crouched, summoned her gauntlet, leaped into the air and smacked a Quartz clean in the face. Using the reverb from the punch, Ruby deftly landed back into place. Though the strike was hardly enough to knock the Quartz out, it left her smarting and more importantly with the knowledge that this Ruby wouldn’t go down without a fight. 

Ruby charged closer, even more flames following in her wake. The enemy backed off knowing that they were done for if the flames caught up to them. Ruby had the advantage and she knew it. Though Ruby soldiers were smaller and weaker than Quartz soldiers, they not only had the ability to resist heat but the ability to generate it as well and wreak fiery havoc on the battlefield.

The Quartz squad kept backing away but Ruby kept advancing and with her came the flames which, if she caught up with them, could engulf them all. They had no choice but to see if they could outrun them. But Ruby gave chase herding the enemy with her fire flanking both sides so that none could escape into the forest. If she were able, she could have entirely engulfed the Quartz soldiers with her fire but her control of it only extended a few feet so she had to make due with this. She chased, stomping through bush and brush bringing with her a wake of smoke and fiery destruction behind her. In the Quartzes’ line of sight, there was a steep hill.If they made it past it they would stand a chance at escape.

They had already made it ahead of Ruby who continued giving chase despite how futile it seemed to do so. They whooped with zeal as they bounded to the top of the hill. Their echoing cheers were soon to be be followed by yelps of surprise and were to end in screams of terror as Ruby saw the Quartzes slip and stumble from the top of the hill disappearing from sight. Ruby smirked to herself and she too bounded the hill to get in on the action, but unlike the Quartzes who were unaware of what await them at the top of the hill, Ruby handled it with dexterity. Where Ruby was standing was a thin coating of ice and below was Sapphire, but she wasn’t alone. With her were the soldiers encased in an icy prison that Sapphire had conjured. Sapphire noticed Ruby sliding down the hill and smirked, 

“You’re just in time. I was about to finish these Gems off. You have anything to say to them before I do, Ru? 

Ruby cockily swaggered up to the trapped Quartzes. 

“You can escape the heat…” 

At that Sapphire finished Ruby’s sentence as if they had rehearsed it prior,

“But the cold will kill you!” 

And clenched her fists, effectively crushing all the Quartzes physical forms with the gesture leaving nothing but their gemstones on the icy floor. Sapphire gave Ruby a playful smirk, 

“Told ya it’d work” 

A big grin escaped Ruby as she said, “Sapphy you know I’d never doubt you. But uh I think it’s time we properly deal with these Gems though.” 

“Agreed. But I think a certain someone should do the honors” 

And with that, Ruby and Sapphire embraced one another and kissed deeply and passionately happy to be in each other’s arms in one piece. A glow surrounded the two of them as they merged and melded into a single being. Garnet was back and before her were the gems of the enemies who taunted her. A few had been shattered, cracked and crushed by Sapphire’s icy constriction. It didn’t faze Garnet too much. Such were the realities of war. She kicked soil over their remains and then turned her attention to the ones still intact, gazing at them disdainfully. If she really wanted to,she could have shattered them right then and there with her gauntlets, but every part of her said no knowing that they would be better off alive, at least, for now. She would bubble them and send them back to base where they would be interrogated when they regenerated. And so she did.

As she made her way through the forest back to her comrades, Garnet stopped for a moment, finally able to catch her breath after her ordeal. She sat on a fallen log and turned her palms toward her. On the left , Ruby and on the right, Sapphire. Gazing at the two gems fondly she gave each a kiss of gratitude for helping her get through something she wasn’t sure she would survive. She wrapped herself in a hug just glad to be alive. Even when she was by herself, she was never truly alone.


End file.
